Vase en plomb bronzé de la piece de Neptune à Versailles
Classification
Department
Smithsonian Collection
Museum
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Credit
Purchased for the Museum by the Advisory Council
Accession Number
1921-6-475-6
About this artwork
Research in Progress
Art Historical Context
This print by Marie Michelle Blondel offers a detailed view of an ornate bronzed lead vase from the celebrated Bassin de Neptune at Versailles. Created between 1744 and 1756, the work captures one of the many sculptural elements that enhanced the grand fountain, a centerpiece of the palace gardens designed to celebrate the power and refinement of the French monarchy during the reign of Louis XV. Blondel, a French artist active in the mid-eighteenth century, produced this image as part of the era’s growing interest in documenting royal decorative arts. Though classified as a print, its precise...